AWE file photosThe swank South Fin Grill in South Beach promises top-shelf offerings but falls short on delivery.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's such a pretty restaurant in a premium borough location. And views of the Verrazano Bridge and Raritan Bay are the perfect setting for a seafood-themed eatery. But getting further into meals indicates South Fin Grill falls short on many levels.

As an aside, understand how much I want to love this place just because of the South Beach backdrop. Being a native Staten Islander, the situation is ripe for it to be a food jewel on our rejuvenated South Beach waterfront.

Raw shellfish, sushi, chowder and a steakhouse theme running through the menu makes sense. This is not your typical gravy/red sauce joint, rather one that has a corporate-style, perhaps aiming to be on the level of Manhattan's Blue Water Grill or Atlantic Grill restaurants.

On seafood alone, South Fin's investment is impressive with such a delicate, highly perishable inventory. If a diner is going to venture to S.I.'s premier boardwalk joint, the groundwork's all there for pure indulgence. A customer looking to spend freely could gladly order up a storm of shellfish and Japanese fare.

But there's a roadblock when it comes to the big splurge here.

The primary problem in my experience over the years and last several weeks has been the chronically inconsistent and, at times, downright terrible service. Yet the irony with South Fin is that it does not appear to have poor-quality workers. On the contrary, I've come across seasoned professionals and even rather promising, youthful front-of-the-house people. So is it poor management? Is it the fact that so much of the business is seasonal? Do those seemingly good food workers flee to gigs in Brooklyn or Manhattan where the pay is generally better? Who knows?

Specs: Wheelchair accessible with parking lot and occasional valet service

And then there's the food, a very frustrating matter at both lunch and dinner. In general, the kitchen seldom nails it. Lately, oversized (albeit nice-looking) bread rolls and baguette loaf-cuts dwarfed featured items -- see this on the hanger steak sandwich, lobster roll, ground beef burger, tuna "burger," etc.

A droopy "Chop House Salad" -- hearts of palm discs, grilled julienne of zucchini and yellow squash, a few bits of nice yellow or red grape tomatoes, olive rings -- was presented with brown iceberg lettuce. This happened twice in one week. Pasta beneath a mixed seafood dish was overcooked and visibly mushy -- not to mention there was a severe lack of seafood on top for $34 -- a clue to an expeditor or server who cared that this plate should never have left the kitchen.

On the flipside, the so-called tuna burger is a lazy execution of what's promised on the menu (burger to me indicates some preparation or forming into a patty). What eventually came to the table was a half-inch thick (at best) slice of sinewy tuna overtaken by a Kaiser roll. Chervil wasn't served, as promised, on a bland lobster-corn-bacon chowder.

When items were left uneaten, servers and the floor managers didn't press for details. Staff didn't appear to care whether the customer is pleased or not. Or perhaps dissatisfaction is so commonplace that table checks are more trouble than they're worth.

Desserts were also disappointing. Creme brulee was more like vanilla pudding. "Chocolate fondue for two" with strawberries, marshmallows, pineapple and pound cake with chocolate dipping sauce was not worth the $18. "Apple crisp" was a soggy mess on three occasions.

But let's get back to trying to understand what's going on here. Over the last few months when we've inquired about the name of the executive chef, responses have been fuzzy. Servers blurt out names like "Chris" or "John" or "Manny," and phone receptionists didn't appear to know who the chef was, either.

My hope is to return one day to this beautiful restaurant and have a wonderful, not frustrating, overall experience. South Fin should be the oceanfront restaurant we all happily embrace.